Method and apparatus for loading racks of tobacco leaves in curing enclosures

ABSTRACT

A method of and apparatus for forming tiers of successive racks of suspended tobacco leaves on pairs of spaced, substantially horizontal, elevated rails in a tobacco curing enclosure, wherein a wheeled carriage is positioned with its wheels resting upon corresponding ingress end portions of a pair of the rails and each successive rack of suspended tobacco leaves is lowered onto the carriage, one at a time, with the leaves depending from the rack between the rails. The carriage then is wheeled forwardly along and toward the other ends of the rails, and then the rack is removed from the carriage and deposited on the rails by tilting the rear of the carriage upwardly to cause the rack to slide off the carriage while it is being moved rearwardly from beneath the rack.

United States Patent [191 Home [ METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOADING RACKS OF TOBACCO LEAVES 1N CNG ENCLOSURES [75] Inventor: Frank Leigh Horne, Charlotte, NC.

[73] Assignee: Gas-Fired Products, 1nc., Charlotte,

[22] Filed: Mar. 1, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 337,116

[52] US. Cl. 214/l6.4 R, 214/16 B, 294/55, 104/95, 105/55 [51] Int. Cl. B65g 1/06 [58] Field of Search 214/l6.4 R, 16.4 A, 16 B, 214/5.5; 295/55; 104/94-95; 105/55 [4 1 Apr. 16,1974

3,709,383 l/l973 Jennings et a1 214/16 B Primary ExaminerAlbert J. Makay Assistant Examiner-R. B. Johnson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Parrott, Bell, Seltzer, Park & Gibson 57 ABSTRACT A method of and apparatus for forming tiers of successive racks of suspended tobacco leaves on pairs of spaced, substantially horizontal, elevated rails in a tobacco curing enclosure, wherein a wheeled carriage is positioned with its wheels resting upon corresponding ingress end portions of a pair of the rails and each successive rack of suspended tobacco leaves is lowered onto the carriage, one at a time, with the leaves depending from the rack between the rails. The carriage then is wheeled forwardly along and toward the other ends of the rails, and then the rack is removed from the carriage and deposited on the rails by tilting the rear of the carriage upwardly to cause the rack to slide off the carriage while it is being moved rearwardly from beneath the rack.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 1 m v 3804. 272

sum 1 or 2 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOADING RACKS OF TOBACCO LEAVES IN CURING ENCLOSURES This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for arranging racks of suspended tobacco leaves in series on elevated rails, known generally as tier rails, in tobacco barns and similar tobacco curing enclosures.

ln order to efficiently utilize the space in conventional enclosures for bulk curing bright-leaf tobacco, most such enclosures are constructed with elongate conditioning channels or areas of a width only slightly greater than the length of the usual substantially rectangular tobacco-carrying racks to be stored in the enclosure. Such racks are arranged in several tiers; usually three tiers, each having a series of such racks positioned on a respective substantially horizontal pair of spaced apart elevated rails secured against proximal surfaces of a framework defining the respective conditioning channel.

ln the curing of leaves of bright-leaf tobacco, it is necessary that the upper surfaces of the racksupporting rails be at such levels as to insure that the lower ends of the tobacco leaves in the lowermost tier are spaced well above the floor of the curing enclosure and that sufficient space is provided between the leaves and successive tiers above the lowermost tier so as to insure that the conditioned air may be properly circulated through the tiers of tobacco leaves in order to obtain the desired quality of cured tobacco leaves. However, since it is desirable to accommodate at least three tiers of racks of tobacco leaves in a curing enclosure, and the leaves of bright-leaf tobacco generally are up to 25 to 28 inches long, it follows that the upper surfaces of the uppermost rack-supporting rails then can be up to 7 feet or more above the floor of the tobacco curing enclosure.

Tobacco racks used for bulk curing are generally made from metal and are from 4 to 5 feet long, one to two feet wide and from 1 to 8 inches deep, with spaced spikes extending transversely thereof for penetrating and suspendingly supporting a corresponding mass of tobacco leaves therein. Before curing and removing moisture from the tobacco leaves, each such rack of tobacco leaves is quite heavy and may weigh up to 180 to 200 pounds or more. ln most instances, a mechanical hoist is used for lifting each successive filled rack of tobacco leaves onto the rearward or ingress end portions of the corresponding pair of rack-supporting rails. whereupon each successive rack is pushed along the rails in sliding engagement therewith. Since bulk tobacco curing enclosures are from 20 to 36 feet or more in length, it follows that it is an arduous task to slide such heavy racks of tobacco leaves along the racksupporting rails, especially when it is considered that the first rack of tobacco leaves in each tier must be moved substantially the entire length of the corresponding pair of rack-supporting rails with the distance becoming progressively shorter as the series of successive racks are positioned in juxtaposition on the corresponding pair of rails. Also it can be appreciated that it is considerably more difficult for a workman to move filled racks of tobacco leaves along the uppermost elevated rails than is the case in order to move filled racks of tobacco leaves along the lower rails. Thus, heretofore. it often has been necessaryto utilize two men in order to push each filled rack along each of the pairs of rails, in a tobacco curing enclosure.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved method of an apparatus for loading successive racks of suspended tobacco leaves in a tobacco curing enclosure of the type described in which relatively little effort is required in order to propel the racks of tobacco leaves along the pairs of rails in the enclosure as compared to the amount of energy required heretofore, and so that one person may readily form tiers of tobacco-carrying racks on the rails without requiring the assistance of an additional workman.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide an improved method of an apparatus for loading successive racks of suspended tobacco leaves in a series upon a pair of spaced substantially horizontal, elevated rails in a tobacco curing enclosure, wherein a wheeled open-frame carriage is positioned with its wheels resting upon corresponding ingress end portions or extensions of the respective pair of rails, whereupon a rack of suspended tobacco leaves is lowered onto the carriage with the leaves depending from the rack below the carriage and between the rails. The wheeled carriage then is wheeled along and toward the other end of the rails, whereupon the rack is removed from the carriage and deposited upon the rails simply by tilting the rear portion of the carriage upwardly so as to cause the rack to slide forwardly on and relative to the carriage as the carriage is moved rearwardly from beneath the rack so that opposite end portions of the rack then rest upon and are supported by the rails. The carriage then may be readily returned to its position on the ingress end portions of, or the extensions of, the pair of rails for receiving a succeeding rack of tobacco leaves thereon.

It is another more specific object of this invention to provide a tobacco curing apparatus including an'enclosure having at least one pair of elevated, spaced apart, substantially parallel and substantially horizontal rails therein for receiving thereon a plurality of substantially rectangular tobacco-carrying racks adapted to suspendingly retain tobacco. leaves therein to be cured, with the racks being of substantially uniform length greater than the distance between the rails so that the opposite ends of the racks may rest upon the rails, and wherein a wheeled carriage is provided for loading the tobacco racks successively and in series on the rails and comprises a pair of substantially parallel, spaced, end frames having upper supporting surfaces thereon spaced a predetermined distance apart so as to support respective opposite ends of each successive rack thereon with corresponding tobacco leaves depending between the end frames. The supporting surfaces are arranged so as to permit sliding movement of successive racks off of the supporting surfaces and means interconnects the end frames and maintains the supporting surfaces thereof said predetermined distance apart. Also, wheel means is carried by each end frame and adapted to ride upon the respective rails so that each successive rack may be easily moved forwardly along the pair of rails while on said carriage and then may be readily deposited upon the rails by raising the rear end of the carriage to slide the rack along the supporting surfaces and off of the carriage onto the rails while the carriage is being moved rearwardly.

Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having been stated, others will appear-as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the entrance end portion of a typical tobacco curing enclosure showing a completely formed tier of tobacco leaves within one side or channel portion of the enclosure and showing a wheeled carriage on an adjacent upper pair of rails as it is used in transporting a corresponding rack of suspended tobacco leaves along the corresponding pair of rails in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation looking at the rear upper portion of the carriage and the corresponding rack of tobacco leaves shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspecitve view of the improved wheeled carriage, showing a tobacco-carrying rack in spaced relation thereabove but omitting the tobacco leaves from the rack; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view through a portion of a rack previously deposited upon a pair of rails and showing how the carriage is tilted tocause another rack to slide along the end frames of the carriage and against the previous rack as the new rack is being deposited upon the corresponding rails and the carriage is being moved rearwardly from beneath the rack.

Referring more specifically to the drawings a typical tobacco curing barn or enclosure, especially for the bulk curing of bright-leaf tobacco leaves, is indicated at in FIG. 1 and includes a floor 11, sills or base frame members 12, 12a, 12b, side walls 13, 13a and a roof 14. The entrance or ingress end portion of the enclosure is shown in FIG. I and may be considered as the rear end of the enclosure for the purpose of this disclosure. As shown, the rear end of enclosure 10 includes laterally spaced upright frame members 15, 16, 17, with the upright frame members 15, 17 serving as corner posts for the enclosure, and the upright frame member 16 being spaced about half-way between the corner posts 15, 17. Frame members 15, 16, 17 define the rear extremities of a pair of elongate parallel channels extending substantially throughout the length of enclosure 10 for receiving therein respective vertically spaced tiers of tobacco leaves. Other frame members, similar to frame members I5, 16, 17, may be provided adjacent the other or forward end of enclosure 10 for supporting the forward ends of a plurality of pairs of spaced, substantially horizontal. elevated rails or tier poles thereon and whose rearward end portions are supported by the corresponding upright frame members 15, l6, 17 shown in FIG. 1.

In this instance, and as is generally the case, each of the conditioning channels for the tobacco curing enclosure 10 is provided with three vertically spaced pairs of the substantially horizontal elevated rails. the uppermost pair of rack-supporting rails in each of the conditioning channels of enclosure 10 being indicated 20, 21; the intermediate pair of rails therebelow being indicated at 200, 21a; and the lowermost pair of rails being indicated at 20)), 21h. As preferred, each rail may be in the form ofa metal angle bar. The spaces or slots between those adjacent rails attached to opposite sides of center post 16 are closed as by any suitable means, such as strips of sheet metal not shown, to prevent the circulating conditioned air from flowing through such slots and thereby by-passing the tiers of tobacco.

In order to provide sufficient space adjacent the roof 14 for circulation of the heated or otherwise conditioned air over the tiers of tobacco leaves, roof 14 is spaced a substantial distance above the two pairs of upper rails 20, 21 and such space is closed at opposite ends of the enclosure as represented by the rear end wall 22 in FIG. 1. Further, the rear ends of all of the rack-supporting rails 20, 21, 20a, 21a, 20b, 21b terminate short of or about flush with the outer or rear surfaces of upright frame members 15, 16, 17, and the rear end corner posts 15, 17 may have respective doors hingedly mounted thereon for closing the ingress or rear end of enclosure 10 during the curing operation. By way of example, only one of the doors is shown indicated at 23 in FIG. 1 hingedly connected to corner post 15. 1

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper pair of rack-supporting rails 20, 21 in the left-hand side of enclosure 10 has a full tier or series of racks 30 of suspended tobacco leaves L positioned thereon, and the upper'tier on the other or right-hand side of enclosure 10 is in the process of being formed. It should be noted that the upper tiers of suspended tobacco leaves are formed before the tiers therebelow so. that the operator may readily .walk upon the floor 11 while forming all'of the tiers of tobacco leaves. Various forms of substantially rectangular tobacco-carrying racks may be employed, provided that all of the racks are of substantially the same size. By way of example, and as is preferred, each of the racks 30 is shown as being of a type such as is disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 258,390, filed May 31, 1972 and entitled RACK FOR SUPPORTING TOBACCO LEAVES FOR CURING, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.

Essentially, and as best shown in FIG. 3, each rack 30 comprises a framework defining a substantially rectangular opening within which corresponding tobacco leaves are suspended. More specifically, each rack comprises a pair of first and second substantially U- shaped rack frames 31, 32. Opposing legs 31a, 31b of first rack frame 31 normally are telescopically recieved in mating relation with respective'substantially channel-shaped opposing end legs 32a, 32b of second rack frame 32. The bridging portions of the two frames 31, 32 normally are disposed in opposing spaced relationship and the legs of both of the rack frames are of substantially equal lengths with the free ends of the legs of first rack frame 21 normally engaging the bridging portionvof second rack frame 32. A plurality of spaced, substantially parallel, spikes 310 are carried by and secured to the bridging portion of first rack frame 31 and extend substantially parallel to opposing legs 31a, 31b of first rack frame 31.

It is apparent that, for transporting and curing the tobacco leaves L, spikes 31c pierce the tobacco leaves below the stems thereof and, when the two frames 31, 32 of each rack 30 are properly assembled with the corresponding leaves packed between the bridging portions of the two frames 31, 32, the free ends of the spikes 31c of first rack frame 31 normally are disposed closely adjacent but spaced from the bridging portions of second rack frame 32. Suitable releasable latch means 32c is associated with each of the legs 32a, 32b of second frame 32 for releasably-holding rack frames 31, 32 in the desired assembled relationship with the leaves suspendingly supported by rack 30 as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

As indicated earlier herein, each rack may be about four feet long and about 1 foot wide when assembled as shown in FIG. 3, and the channel-shaped legs 32a, 32b of the second rack frame 32 of each rack 30 may be about one inch thick. Accordingly, the distance, horizontally, between the distal or outer surfaces of each respective adjacent pair of rails 20, 21; 20a, 21a; 20b, 21b is slightly greater than the length of each rack 30, the distance between such distal surfaces generally being about one inch greater than the length of thecorresponding racks 30.

As also indicated earlier herein, it is conventional practice in the loading of a tobacco curing enclosure with leaves of bright-leaf tobacco, to form each tier of tobacco leaves by utilizing a suitable hoisting mechanism, not shown, for positioning each successive filled rack 30 of tobacco leaves L upon the rearward or ingress portions of the corresponding pair of rails, whereupon two or more workmen would manually push the corresponding racks forwardly while sliding opposite end portions of the rack along and against the upper surfaces of the respective pair of rails until the rack was either moved to the forwardmost end of the pair of rails or was moved against a previously positioned filled rack of tobacco leaves. In most instances, the rearward end portions of the corresponding pair of rails, such as rails 20, 21 in the right-hand'portion of FIG. l, were provided with suitable removableextensions 20, 21 upon the ingress or rear ends thereof and projecting forwardly beyond the vertical plane of the rear end wall portion 22 of the tobacco curing enclosure so that the hoisting mechanism could readily lower each successive filled rack 30 from a position spaced above the level of the corresponding pair of rails down to the level of the rails, with the leaves then depending between the extensions 21', before the corresponding rack 30 was moved forwardly along the corresponding pair of rails.

For the purposes of this disclosure, it may be assumed that the rail extensions 20, 21' represent the rearward end portions of the corresponding pair of rails 20, 21. Since the rail extensions 20', 21 are of wellknownconstruction, and it is well-known to utilize a common pair of such extensions interchangeably with all the pairs of rails 20, .21; 20a, 21a; 20b, 21)), a detailed illustration and description of the extensions 20, 21' is deemed unnecessary.

The method and apparatus of this invention is devised in order to simplify and greatly reduce the effort, labor and time required normally to load successive racks 30 of tobacco leaves in a series upon each respective pair of rails 20, 21; 20a, 21a; 20b, 21b, even'though the rails, such as the upper rails 20, 21 in FIG. 1, are positioned overhead on a level some substantial distance above the level to which an operator may be able to reach comfortably from the floor 11. According to the invention, l have provided a novel wheeled openframe carriage 40 adapted to be positioned upon corresponding rearward end portions of the respective pair of rails with its wheels resting upon the rails, whereupon a rack 30 of suspended tobacco leaves is lowered onto carriage 40 with the leaves L depending from the rack between opposing side frames 41, 42 of the carriage and between the corresponding rails. The carriage 40 then is wheeled, with the rack 30 thereon, forwardly along and toward the forward ends of the rails, and the rack then is removed from the carriage and deposited upon the rails by raising the rear end of the carriage to tilt the same and cause the rack to slide off the carriage while moving the carriage rearwardly from beneath the rack.

Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the elongate end frames 41, 42 are preferably substantially Z-shaped in cross-section with the substantially horizontal web portions 43 thereof defining respective upper supporting surfaces. The supporting surfaces are spaced a predetermined distance apart so as to support thereon respective opposite ends of a filled rack 30, such as the channel-shaped legs 32a, 32b of second rack frame 32. Preferably, but not necessarily, end frames 41, 42 are of a length substantially corresponding to the length of each assembled rack 30 and the upper supporting surfaces of end frames 41, 42 are preferably planar so as to readily permit sliding movement of successive racks 30 off of the same as indicated in FIG. 4.

The end frames 41, 42 are provided with respective outer flanges 44 thereon which project upwardly from the respective web portions 43 and thereby form abutment means defining the outer limits of the upper supporting surfaces of end frames 41, 42. It is apparent that the distance from the flange 44 of one end frame 41 to the flange 44 of the other end frame 42 is slightly greater than the length of each successive rack 30 so as to readily loosely receive such rack therebetween. On

the otherhand, the distance from the outer surface of l the flange 44 of end frame 41 to the outer surface of the flange 44 of the other end frame 42 is less than the distance between the outermost surfaces of the respective pair of elevated rails 20, 21.

The web portions 43 of end frames 41, 42 and, thus, the corresponding rack supporting surfaces thereon, overlie respective wheel means each in the form of a pair of spaced wheels or rollers 45, 46 adapted to move in rolling engagement with the upper surfaces of the corresponding rails 20, 21. It is preferred that rollers 45, 46 are in theform of antifriction bearing rollers mounted for rotation on the front and rear portions of each respective end frame 41, 42 and arranged so that the supporting surfaces of the web portions 43 of end frames 41, 42 will overlie rails 20, 21. 1

Accordingly, it will be observed in FIG. 2 that each roller '45, 46 may be rotatably mounted on a stub shaft or shoulder bolt 47 whose axis extends in a substantially horizontal plane. Each shaft 47 is suitably secured to the outer surface of a downwardly projecting inner flange 50 formed integralwith the web 43 of each respective end frame 41, 42. it should be noted that the inner flanges 50 of end frames 41, 42 project downwardly from the proximal or inner portions of the respective upper supporting surfaces defined by web portions 43, and the inner flanges 50 terminate below the plane of the rollers 45, 46. Also, the distance between the distal or outer surfaces of the inner flanges 50 of end frames 41, 42 is slightly less than the distance between the respective pair of rails 20, 21 such that the inner flanges 50 serve as guide means and may slide and be guided against the proximal edges of the rails 20, 21 during movement of the carriage therealong to aid in maintaining carriage 40 in the desired alignment with the rails throughout such movement.

In order to interconnect end frames 41, 42 and maintain the supporting surfaces thereof, as well as upper and lower flanges 44, 50 thereof in the desired predetermined spaced relationship, a rigid bridging means is provided and includes a pair of laterally spaced rigid arms 51, 52 having respective upper forwardly extending end portions 53 integral therewith and welded or otherwise secured to the proximal surfaces of the lower flanges 50 of the respective end frames 41, 42. Rigid arms 51, 52 extend downwardly and rearwardly for a substantial distance; preferably about two feet, from the rear end portions of the respective end frames 41, 42, and the rigid arms 51, 52 extend at an obtuse angle of about 105 to 110 relative to the supporting surfaces of the end frames 41, 42 so that a rigid handle bar H connected to and extending between the lower portions of rigid arms 51, 52 is positioned out of the vertical plane of the opening defined by the respective rack 30. Thus, handle bar H is spaced rearwardly of the lower portions of the leaves suspended from each successive rack 30 while such rack is positioned with its rear end positioned substantially flush with the rear ends of end frames 41, 42 of the carriage 40. Also, the handle H then is easily within reach ofa workman even when the carriage is positioned on the uppermost rails 20, 21.

In its preferred embodiment the rigid handle bar H comprises two elongate separate and aligned handle bar sections 51a, 52a preferably formed integral with the lower ends of the respective rigid arms 51, 52. A suitable coupling 51b is provided for threadedly interconnecting the proximal ends of the handle bar sections 51a, 52a, thus providing a means whereby-the distance between the carriage end frames 41, 42 may be adjusted. It is preferred that the rigid arm 51, 52 are integral with the forwardly extending portions 53 and the respective handle bar sections 51a, 52a and are formed of rigid tubular material.

It is thus seen that each tier of suspended tobacco leaves may be readily formed by positioning the two pairs of wheels 45, 46 of carriage 40 on the rear end portions of the respective pair of rails or the extensions 2i thereon. A rack of the suspended tobacco leaves L is lowered onto the carriage with the leaves depending from the rack between the rails, then the carriage with the rack 30 thereon is wheeled forwardly along and toward the forward or inner ends of the respective pair of rails. Thereupon the rack 30 is removed from carriage 40 and deposited on the rails as shown in FIG. 4 by raising the handle bar H and, thus, the rear of the carriage upwardly with the front wheels resting on the corresponding rails. Thus, the rear wheels 46 are raised above the corresponding rails to tilt the carriage sufficiently to cause rack 30 to slide on carriage 40 and at least the front portion of the rack 30 to engage and rest upon the rails. The carriage 40 then may be moved rearwardly from beneath the rack as the rear portion of the rack slides along the upper supporting surfaces on the web portions 43 of the end frames 41, 42 and until the rear portion of the corresponding rack 30 drops onto the corresponding pair of rails. Thereupon, carriage 40 is simply returned to its original position upon corresponding rearward end portions of the pair of rails and the operation is repeated with the front end portion of each successive rack 30 being positioned against and in abutting relation to the rear end portion of each preceding rack 30 on the corresponding pair of rails until the entire tier or series of racks of suspended tobacco leaves is formed.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only.

That which is claimed is:

1. in a tobacco curing apparatus including an enclosure having a pair of elevated, spaced apart, substantially parallel and substantially horizontal rails therein, a plurality of substantially rectangular tobaccocarrying racks adapted to suspendingly retain tobacco leaves therein to be cured, and said racks being of substantially uniform length greater than the distance between said rails so that the opposite ends of said racks mayrest upon said rails; the combination therewith of a wheeled carriage for facilitating loading said tobacco racks successively and in series on said rails and comprising a pair of substantially parallel, spaced, end frames having upper supporting surfaces thereon spaced a predetermined distance apart so as to support respective opposite ends of each successive rack thereon with the corresponding tobacco leaves depending between said end frames and with said supporting surfaces being arranged for permitting sliding movement of successive racks off of the same, means interconnecting said end frames and maintaining said supporting surfaces thereof said predetermined distance apart, and wheel means carried by'each end frame and adapted to ride on the respective rails so that each successive rack may be moved forwardly along the pair of rails while on said carriage and then readily deposited on the rails by raising the rear end of the carriage to slide the rack along said supporting surfaces and off the carriage onto said rails while moving said carriage rearwardly.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each rack comprises a framework defining a substantially rectangular opening within which the corresponding tobacco leaves are suspended, and wherein said means interconnecting said end frames comprises a rigid bridging means fixedly connected to said end frames and positioned out of the vertical plane of the rectangular opening of each successive tobacco-carrying rack when resting on the end frames of said carriage with the rear end of the respective rack positioned substantially flush with the rear ends of said end frames.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said bridging means comprises a pair of rigid arms having upper ends secured to the respective end frames and extending downwardly and rearwardly from the rear portions of said end frames at an obtuse angle relative to said supporting surfaces, and a rigid handle bar connected to and extending between said rigid arms.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said carriage includes abutment means projecting upwardly from and defining the outer limits of said upper supporting surfaces of said end frames, and the distance from the abutment means of one end frame to the abutment means of the other end frame being slightly greater than the length of each successive rack so as to loosely receive each successive rack therebetween.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the distance from the outer surface of said abutment means of said one end frame to the outer surface of said abutment means of said other end frame is less than the distance between the outermost surfaces of said pair of elevated rails.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said upper supporting surfaces on said end frames of said carriage overlie the respective rails during movement of said carriage therealong, guide means carried by each of said end frames and projecting below said supporting surfaces and inwardly of the adjacent rails, and the distance between the distal surfaces of said guide means of one end frame and said guide means of the other end frame being slightly less than the distance between proximal surfaces of said rails whereby said guide means may engage and be guided against said proximal surfaces of said rails during movement of said carriage therealong.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said upper supporting surfaces of said carriage end frames normally occupy substantially horizontal positions overlying the respective rails when said carriage is in use, and wherein each end frame further comprises an outer flange projecting upwardly from and defining the outer limit of the respective upper supporting surface,

and an inner flange projecting downwardly from the inner portion of the respective upper supporting surface and terminating below the plane of said wheel means and thus below the upper surfaces of said rails, and wherein the distance between the proximal surfaces of said outer flanges is greater than said length of said racks so as to loosely receive each successive rack therebetween, and the distance between the distal surfaces of said inner flanges is less than the distance between said rails and such that said inner flanges may slide against said rails to aid in maintaining said carriage in desired alignment with said rails during movement of said carriage therealong.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each of said end frames is of a'length about the same as the width of each successive tobacco-carrying rack, and wherein said wheel means comprises a pair of rollers mounted for rotation on the front and rear portions of each of said inner flanges of said end frames. 

1. In a tobacco curing apparatus including an enclosure having a pair of elevated, spaced apart, substantially parallel and substantially horizontal rails therein, a plurality of substantially rectangular tobacco-carrying racks adapted to suspendingly retain tobacco leaves therein to be cured, and said racks being of substantially uniform length greater than the distance between said rails so that the opposite ends of said racks may rest upon said rails; the combination therewith of a wheeled carriage for facilitating loading said tobacco racks successively and in series on said rails and comprising a pair of substantially parallel, spaced, end frames having upper supporting surfaces thereon spaced a predetermined distance apart so as to support respective opposite ends of each successive rack thereon with the corresponding tobacco leaves depending between said end frames and with said supporting surfaces being arranged for permitting sliding movement of successive racks off of the same, means interconnecting said end frames and maintaining said supporting surfaces thereof said predetermined distance apart, and wheel means carried by each end frame and adapted to ride on the respective rails so that each successive rack may be moved forwardly along the pair of rails while on said carriage and then readily deposited on the rails by raising the rear end of the carriage to slide the rack along said supporting surfaces and off the carriage onto said rails while moving said carriage rearwardly.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each rack Comprises a framework defining a substantially rectangular opening within which the corresponding tobacco leaves are suspended, and wherein said means interconnecting said end frames comprises a rigid bridging means fixedly connected to said end frames and positioned out of the vertical plane of the rectangular opening of each successive tobacco-carrying rack when resting on the end frames of said carriage with the rear end of the respective rack positioned substantially flush with the rear ends of said end frames.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said bridging means comprises a pair of rigid arms having upper ends secured to the respective end frames and extending downwardly and rearwardly from the rear portions of said end frames at an obtuse angle relative to said supporting surfaces, and a rigid handle bar connected to and extending between said rigid arms.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said carriage includes abutment means projecting upwardly from and defining the outer limits of said upper supporting surfaces of said end frames, and the distance from the abutment means of one end frame to the abutment means of the other end frame being slightly greater than the length of each successive rack so as to loosely receive each successive rack therebetween.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the distance from the outer surface of said abutment means of said one end frame to the outer surface of said abutment means of said other end frame is less than the distance between the outermost surfaces of said pair of elevated rails.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said upper supporting surfaces on said end frames of said carriage overlie the respective rails during movement of said carriage therealong, guide means carried by each of said end frames and projecting below said supporting surfaces and inwardly of the adjacent rails, and the distance between the distal surfaces of said guide means of one end frame and said guide means of the other end frame being slightly less than the distance between proximal surfaces of said rails whereby said guide means may engage and be guided against said proximal surfaces of said rails during movement of said carriage therealong.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said upper supporting surfaces of said carriage end frames normally occupy substantially horizontal positions overlying the respective rails when said carriage is in use, and wherein each end frame further comprises an outer flange projecting upwardly from and defining the outer limit of the respective upper supporting surface, and an inner flange projecting downwardly from the inner portion of the respective upper supporting surface and terminating below the plane of said wheel means and thus below the upper surfaces of said rails, and wherein the distance between the proximal surfaces of said outer flanges is greater than said length of said racks so as to loosely receive each successive rack therebetween, and the distance between the distal surfaces of said inner flanges is less than the distance between said rails and such that said inner flanges may slide against said rails to aid in maintaining said carriage in desired alignment with said rails during movement of said carriage therealong.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each of said end frames is of a length about the same as the width of each successive tobacco-carrying rack, and wherein said wheel means comprises a pair of rollers mounted for rotation on the front and rear portions of each of said inner flanges of said end frames. 